There are many retailers, or others handling merchandise, that utilize a number of different price tags or labels to apply to merchandise depending upon the particular configuration of the merchandise, or the manner in which it is displayed. Keeping a separate inventory of these different types of price tags and labels can be burdensome. Also, many retailers or the like wish to imprint the price tags or labels in a neat, easily readable, and mass production form, desirably by running the price tags or labels through a printer (such as a laser printer, or impact printer). It can be difficult to match conventionally available pricing tags or labels that can be fed through a printer to the particular needs of the retailer.
The invention seeks to overcome the problems described above by providing an identifying device that is both highly versatile and capable of running through a printer in sheet format so that a plurality of identifying devices can be printed with variable information at the same time. Despite these advantages, the identifying devices according to the invention are extremely simple, and relatively inexpensive.
According to one aspect of the present invention, an identifying device is provided which comprises the following elements: A panel having first and second faces. A release coating applied to at least a first area of the panel first face. A label having an adhesive face, and disposed over the first area of the panel first face with the adhesive face in contact with the release coating, the label having dimensions significantly less than the dimensions of the panel. Means defining a line of weakness in the panel for allowing separation of the panel along the line of weakness, and dividing the panel into first and second portions, the label being disposed in the first portion. And, means defining an opening capable of receiving an attachment mechanism in the second portion of the panel. The opening in the panel second portion may be a circular perforation, the line of weakness may be a perforation, and the panel is preferably paperboard and the label is paper. The panel is typically quadrate, and the release coating is over the entire first face of the panel. The adhesive typically is removable or permanent adhesive, although if repositional adhesive is used then the "release coating" need only be a smooth face of the paperboard.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a machine feedable sheet of identifying devices is provided. The sheet comprises the following elements: A first layer of paperboard having first and second faces. A release coating on the first face of the first layer. A second layer comprising paper having first and second faces. Adhesive on the first face. The second layer overlying the first layer so that the first faces thereof are in contact with each other. Means defining a plurality of die cut quadrate openings, each having a first area, in the second layer, to define labels. Means defining a plurality of die cut quadrate openings, each having a second area, in the first layer, to define identifying panels. The second area being significantly greater than the first area. And, means facilitating feeding of the sheet into a machine for printing indicia on the labels. The individual panels preferably are constructed as described above with respect to the first aspect of the invention.
The invention also contemplates a method of using an identifying paperboard panel. The method comprises the following steps: (a) Printing identifying indicia (such as price indicia) on the label. And, (b) attaching the panel to an article which is to be identified by practicing, at the discretion of the user, one of the following substeps: (i) placing an attachment mechanism connected to the article into association with the panel opening, or (ii) removing the label from the panel and applying it to the article so that the label adhesive adheres it to the article, or (iii) separating the panel along the line of weakness and attaching the first portion of the panel, with label still attached thereto, to the article. A plurality of panels are preferably provided in a common sheet, and step (a) is practiced by automatically feeding the sheet through a printer so that at least a plurality of the labels are printed with identifying information. There is then the further step (c), between steps (a) and (b), of separating individuals panels from the sheet.
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a versatile and easily machine printable identifying device to be utilized as a pricing tag or label. This and other objects of the invention will become clear from an inspection of the detailed description of the invention, and from the appended claims.